PSP

Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade

Overall, there is one main gripe to be had with Untold Legends. The music and sound effects are rather repetitive. In UL’s defense, there aren’t many titles thus far for the PSP that have really taken advantage of sound per say. The music especially could be a little more diverse. However, this definitely shouldn’t take any expected enjoyment from you during game play.

And I can’t really think of anything else. This game did EXTREMELY well with letting me just explore around whenever and wherever I feel like and gave me tons of places to do so. It also did quite well with the skill distribution and allowing me to personalize the character to fit my playing style, regardless of which class I choose. It did well in the letting me look badass with armor and stuff, but did barely decently with the original character customization. By now you know what I like, and if you think anything like me you should get this game.

The most important question to answer is: Does Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade deliver on the Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance or Champions of Norrath style hack 'n slash one-more-minute-till-level-30 one-more-magic-item-and-I'll-go-to-work action-RPG pleasure?" It's a legit concern, given the smaller system's physical limitations, and the game balance of an RPG that is equally rewarding when played for a few minutes while waiting for the bus, or a few hours in bed before the sandman comes a-callin'. Fortunately, Untold Legends rises to the challenge, as it proves to be a solid if rather predictable action-RPG.

Like so many people, I have a special place in my heart for fighting monsters, leveling up, and looking for that next piece of uber loot. At its core, that's exactly what Untold Legends is about, and it executes fairly well in that task. However, due to a couple of unfortunate issues, this title doesn't quite manage to deliver as much entertainment as other similar games.

If you are looking for a sense of scope in looking upon the mass of titles due out on PlayStation Portable (over a dozen at launch alone) and determining how far this system might take you, consider this game. Untold Legends is an important benchmark for what the system is, is not, and may some day become. This is the epic amongst these PSP games -- we spent an entire weekend playing this game, almost straight through, and we still had treads of our quest to wrap up the next day. Close the book on the main story, and you still have three other varied character types that you can go through it again as, plus the option to revisit the story with your more powerful character.

The soundtracks tinny loops ground at my nerves like Ashely Simpson at the Orange Bowl and the numerous graphical glitches and slowdown in multiplayer are at times unforgivable.

Ich kann es nicht lassen: Wie ein Junkie greife ich immer wieder verstohlen nach meiner PSP und tobe mich in der Fantasywelt aus – das Suchtpotential eines guten Hack & Slash-Abenteuers erreicht der knackige Snack locker. Und trotzdem merke ich, wie wenig Emotionen sich bei mir regen. Die Story lässt mich kalt und meinen Charakter rüste ich nur deshalb auf, damit er den fiesen Zombie mit nur einem Schlag erledigen und ich den neuen Monstersäbel zum Einsatz bringen kann. Ich will aber verdammt noch mal begeistert sein, wenn das Gameplay soviel Potential zeigt! Immerhin beweisen die Entwickler ungewollten Sinn für Humor und taufen den klischeehaften Mix auf den zynischen Namen „Untold Legends“, zu Deutsch „Nicht Erzählte Legenden“: Leider weit gefehlt.

Schön anzusehende Monster-Klopperei mit hohem Suchtfaktor. Eintönig, aber fesselnd!

While it seems like "Untold Legends" isn't worth playing after discussing all of the flaws, that's not particularly true. Some of the issues are irksome and should have been cleared up before release. However, for whatever reason, you can't put this one down. Whether it's the relative simplicity of the combat, leveling up, or getting together to wage the war with friends, the game has enough to keep you going all the way through. If you need something long and involving for your new portable, "Untold Legends" has you covered.

In conclusion, UT:BotB is not a bad game. It's a simple hack and slash game with RPG-like elements (skill trees, stats, and equipment...that's about it really). If you like games of this genre then pick it up. If you were hoping for a great story, wait for a more traditional RPG. I think it's worth splitting the cost with a friend, or find it used.

It seems somewhat curious that Sony Online Entertainment, the company that popularized the term "massively multiplayer" with EverQuest, would not capitalize on the fairly rich universe that's grown from its seminal online role-playing game for its first game for the PSP, a hack-and-slash RPG called Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade. Unlike the EverQuest-derived Champions of Norrath games, which serve as the template for Untold Legends, this game features a whole new high-fantasy universe, albeit one recycled almost entirely out of rather generic Dungeons & Dragons parts. It has the right idea, which is basically the same idea that made the analogous Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance and Champions of Norrath so enjoyable, but there's not much enthusiasm in Untold Legends.

Untold Legends est un hack'n slash plutôt réussi mais que les développeurs ont exagérément simplifié. Le soft se révèle par conséquent, trop court, trop conventionnel, et trop limité en termes de spécialisation des personnages pour réellement nous satisfaire, mais on prend tout de même beaucoup de plaisir à jouer.

One issue I have with the game is the way monsters regenerate when you turn to old dungeons - I hate that. Also, although some monsters are very slow by nature, they tend to become world-class sprinters when you try to flee from them! One excellent feature is your ability to save your progress at any time. It's hardly Legendary, but Untold Legends is not a bad way to pass the time on your PSP. Maybe it's time we told somebody about it!

Sony Online brings wireless dungeon hacking to the PSP, but it's unremarkable in just about every way. This isn't a good thing, but it's not a bad thing, either...

In summary, Untold Legends is a great pick up and play and slash sort of game. Long periods of playing this game will probably bore you, but if you need a quick RPG fix while commuting, it’s not bad.

If there's anything good to be said about Untold Legends: BotB, it's that it does offer hours of gameplay, with loads of locations to visit and quests to go on. And the graphics aren't bad.